Introduction
Zapallar is the most upmarket beach-side village in Chile, and located reasonably close to Santiago. For short-term visitors there is, currently, only one hotel that can be considered as having a good location, comfortable accommodation, is well decorated and offers an overall pleasant ambience and this is the Hotel Isa Seca (Isla Seca means Desert Island, by the way).
Experience Chile Suggestion
ExperienceChile.Org will be pleased to include Hotel Isla Seca in your travel itinerary together with the required transfers to get you here and back from Santiago airport or city centre. We suggest Isla Seca as a place to start or end your Chilean adventure.
About
The Hotel Isla Seca first appeared back in the early 1990’s. At that time, it was a very special place. Hardly frequented due to the lack of foreign visitors to Chile and a general lack of Chileans travelling out to Zapallar. What this meant was for those making the trip, the Hotel Isla Seca, along with the village of Zapallar, was all a “well kept” secret. A small “bubble” of a coastal paradise that felt like it was all kind of “private” for those visiting.
However, a decade later the visitor numbers increased, and an annex to the hotel was constructed. This is a separate building located about 50mts from the main building.
Towards the end of 2010 the hotel changed hands and became part of a Chilean, national hotel chain, albeit a very small one. The hotel also underwent a full renovation.
Isa Seca today is very much a boutique hotel. Its interior reflects that of an up-market English country house. Its claim to fame is having the ex-UK Prime Minister, Margaret Thatcher, visit when she came to Chile on a commercially backed private visit back in the mid 1990’s.
With only 40 guest rooms it still retains an element of cosiness. In the main building the rooms on the ocean side have a fine view out of the windows to the swimming pool and garden with the Pacific Ocean beyond. Rooms in the central sector of the hotel on the 2nd floor, along with rooms on the 3 floor on the Pacific side, have small balconies. The rooms in the top floor “roof” of the hotel also have balconies, but very small.
The rooms in the annex building do not enjoy the same views the rooms in the main hotel have. For example, the Pacific side rooms in the annex will have more of a view to the woods, with the Pacific behind the trees.
The restaurant opens access through a set of tall French Windows to an exterior, covered terrace, and beyond the terrace is a small garden with palm trees each end and a swimming pool in the middle. The terrace is an ideal place for an early evening summer cocktail.
From the back of the hotel, there is also access to a route that leads down to a fine coastal footpath that also connects to Zapallar beach, about 15 mins away on foot.
Bikes
One recent addition to the facilities the hotel offers is the use of bikes. These are available for guest use to explore the area.
Restaurant
The Isla Seca hotel restaurant is located one floor down from the lobby floor. Here the menu offers a Mediterranean-style choice of dishes together with a good wine list.
There is one coastal road that follows the Pacific from Matencillo all the way along to Cachagua and then Zapallar. Once you have passed the “official” main entrance to Zapallar village, on the left when driving south to north, the road will encounter a couple of bends. After passing through a wooded area the hotel will be beside the road on the left side.
Hotel Isla Seca offers 40 guest rooms. These are split between the main hotel building and a separate annex building. Each room is decorated in a vibrant colour with classic Italian styling. Floors are “fake wooden” but give a nice effect. Bathrooms are on the small side, but adequate.
The best rooms are on the Pacific side with a balcony, floor three and four. Floor two often means noise can be heard from the breakfast restaurant in the mornings.
Room Categories
Isla Seca rooms are divided into these categories:
Junior Suite
Decorated in an elegant, Italian style with king-sized matrimonial bed and classical style furniture. In the main building with views to the Pacific. These rooms also have a ensuite bathroom with bathtub (albeit short).
Premium
These rooms are also in the main building offering Pacific views. Bed category is twin or matrimonial. Subtle, elegant interior decoration, classic-style furniture, small en-suite bathroom with shower.
Deluxe
Located on the 4th floor of the main building (no elevator) these rooms are, effectively, in what be the attic of a house and have slanted ceilings. Therefore, they have smaller windows through which is a view to the Pacific. Elegant interior decoration in line with the other rooms. Matrimonial bed and small ensuite bathroom with shower.
Executive
These rooms are within the annex building. The Pacific side rooms have views to the woods, beyond which is the Ocean. Bed category is matrimonial or twin beds, small ensuite bathrooms with shower.
Standard
Isla Seca standard rooms are located in both the main building and the annex. They are categorised as standard because the view is not the Pacific side, and they are a little smaller than the other rooms with slanted ceilings. However, they still enjoy the same elegant interior decoration as all rooms with classical-style furniture. Also, small ensuite bathrooms with shower unit.
We will include this hotel as part of your itinerary if requested to do so or if required for a logistical reason, or if it suits your itinerary budget.
Yes, we will consider including a night, or two even, free of charge, if we are handling the rest of your travel itinerary and that itinerary is extensive.
What we can offer always depends on the content of your itinerary, so please, get in touch.
If you're interested in this hotel, please don't hesitate contacting us or fill out our enquiry form below.
